Broken Lies

Lily's House #5

by Rachel Branton

Will Facing the Past Allow Her to Create a Future? Saffron Brenwood is a survivor. Having endured great tragedy at a young age, she's arisen from the flames stronger than ever. She's built her own business, her former foster sisters are her best friends, and she has a great boyfriend. That her relationships never last more than two months hasn’t really bothered her. There’s always the next attentive date—when keeping a man at arm’s length no longer works. But now her friends are getting married and her current boyfriend wants more. Only Saffron stands still in time, and she realizes the deep inside, her heart is still broken. So she's going back to where it all began, to face those who hurt her and find a way to fix her life once and for all. What she discovers surprises everyone. Because true love, though always changing, never dies. Sometimes it just needs a nudge—and a willingness to take a risk. In this fifth novel of the Lily’s House series, Saffron, the oldest and first runaway teen from Lily's House, finally tells her story. All the stories in the Lily's House series are complete stories without cliffhangers. Reading all of them will catch you up with characters in previous novels, but you do not have to read them in order. Enjoy!

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2017

About the author

Teyla Rachel Branton grew up avidly reading science fiction and fantasy and watching Star Trek reruns with her large family. They lived on a little farm where she loved to visit the solitary cow and collect (and juggle) the eggs, usually making it back to the house with most of them intact. On that same farm she once owned thirty-three gerbils and eighteen cats, not a good mix, as it turns out. Teyla always had her nose in a book and daydreamed about someday creating her own worlds. She is now married, mostly grown up, and has seven kids, so life at her house can be very interesting (and loud), but writing keeps her sane. She thrives on the energy and daily amusement offered by her children, the semi-ordered chaos giving her a constant source of writing material. Grabbing any snatch of free time from her hectic life, Teyla writes novels full of mystery, romance, and imagination. She warns her children that if they don’t behave, they just might find themselves in her next book! She’s been known to wear pajamas all day when working on a deadline, and is often distracted enough to burn dinner. (Okay, pretty much 90% of the time.) A sign on her office door reads: DANGER. WRITER AT WORK. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. She loves writing fiction and traveling, and she hopes to write and travel a lot more. She also loves shooting guns, martial arts, and belly dancing. She has worked in the publishing business for over twenty years.

Reviews

[Stasia Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sad/happy story

This novel is the third one I read in the series, not in order. I loved the characters and their love and support for one another.
The main romance in this story was sad and was full of growth in the characters. The other romance had some magic that was special. No cliffhanger just a proper hea.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐ I don't like love triangles, or rectangulars as in this case. That being said, this book was interesting, so I kept reading. Saffron has commitment issues and doesn't let her boyfriend Vaughn too deep in her heart. So he decides to break up with her instead of being stuck in a limbo relationship. But he won't let up without a fight for the woman he loves. Saffron returnes in her hometown to face the ghosts of her past and learn why the people she loved most turned their backs on her. She reconnects with her first love Tyson, who is a doctor and dating his colleague Jana. Saffron and Tyson think this is their second chance to be together, although they have some conflicting feelings for Vaughn and Jana respectively. In the mixture we have Saffron's estranged mother, her sister Kendall with her undecided future and Tyson's parents and the consequences of their past actions. This book can be read as a standalone, though I think reading the first book in the series sets the background for the rest of the stories and introduces the girls, including Saffron.
Sensuality: clean
Religion: not really
Narrative: 3rd person, following Saffron, Vaughn, Tyson, occasionally Halla and Saffron's mother.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd downloaded book #1 free, but not started reading when I was given an advance copy of this in order to give a fair and honest review. After reading #1, I bought books 2 - 4 and read them before reading this one.

This series is wonderful. Rachel touches on terrible traumatic events in a sensitive way. There is hope and light amidst the darkness. I'm deeply touched and her stories have given me hope for past and present challenges in my own life.

I'll be looking for the next book as soon as it is ready for publication!

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really have loved all of Lily's House books that I've read, even though the situations they came from make me sad. I love the tremendous fortitude these women have had to get to this point in their lives and the struggles they still face. Saffron's story was just that, a struggle to see what her future would be as well as facing her past. Vaughn and Tyson were also part of this story, as well as Kendall and others. Thoroughly enjoyed even while mourning with Saffron.
Clean romance. Infant loss a part of the story as well as references to abortion.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rreally Good!

This is a really good story about the choices we make that also includes a great romance. I've enjoyed almost all of the Lily's House books that I've read, but think this may be my favorite, because the heroine feels real. She's been broken and repaired, but still has more to learn. This story is the path she takes as she realizes and journeys towards true healing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[John Belcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't look twice

In one format or another we all have gone through terrible tragedies. Loosing the Love of your life is one of the hardest things in life we have to go through. Rachel Branton walks us through this series of emotions and will bring your heart to tears. I couldn't put the book down and loves the way it finished. Definitely a 5 star

[Susan Tietjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

Love Rachel’s writing. Touches my heart every time. Grab a Kleenex box before you open the book. A hard look at how life can take us on bumpy roads but still give us great joy.

[Mary Jane McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Great Series

I'm so enjoying this series and the characters. The characters are so real they touch your heart. I absolutely loved Vaughn and Saphron's story and their journey to love.

[Gregory Trammell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two times the HEA

Safron's horribly broken life turns completely around when she is finally reunited with Tyson, her first love. Both had grown into different people in love with someone else. Both decide being friends and marrying their new loves is best.

[Danice Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like that this book is raw and honest. It's a great story of a teenage pregnancy and a first love. Saffron goes back home after many years to find out what happened in the past and why. She finds the lies that were told, and faces her mother and first love.
It was well worth reading.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this story is most enjoyable though it covers a difficult topic-love lost. Then getting back turns out to not be what you expected. Very good writing.

[Bonnie J Scrogham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former roomer in Lily's House

Great love story about broken hearted girl healed partially during a stay at Lilys. Healed totally by her latest love.

[Jan Trewhitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author is great. Easy read

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/27/2022)! 🎁

[Rainbow Unicorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really have enjoyed all the Lily's House books that I've read. The girls and the tough situations they came from make them into the strong people they are.

[Vi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living on the streets. a teenager with no one and nowhere to go. This was Saffron's nightmare until she met Lily. Saffron's older now, but still finds it hard to trust anyone orher than Lily and her foster family, men especially. Saffron returns home and finds life repeating itself.,,
A moving, inspirational Christian romance. Saffron returns home and finds life repeating itself. Older and stronger she struggles with secrets that unravel. Though I enjoyed House Without Lies, (first book in the series), more. This book drags in places, but is still a good read. 3 1/2 stars.
Voluntarily read ARC for honest review.

[Cynthia]

this is a good book. I like the way Rachel Branton writes and the real live in her books.